Culture

The villages of the Sierra Mariola have a very wide and diverse architectural, historical and cultural heritage, which ranges from the archaeological sites of La Mola, Cova Beneito and La Sarga, to the Arab legacy of the numerous castles and fortifications and the caves-windows; the medieval buildings such as the Font Bona tower of Banyeres or the medieval quarter of Bocairent, declared a national historic-artistic site. Discover all the cultural variety we have in the Sierra Mariola!

An essential visit in Bocairent is a walk through its Old Town, which has been declared a historic-artistic site. It has a peculiar layout of streets, in the purest Arab style, with ups and downs, stairs, turns, small squares, dead-end streets... A walk through its steep and quiet streets will…

The Bocairent bullring is unique and singular for its originality as it is largely excavated in rock. The mountainous terrain configuration provides it of a peculiar distribution: from the street you can access both to the front door and corrals as to the presidential box. Its current capacity is 3,760…

The castle of Banyeres is located at 830 meters above sea level. It dates back to the XII-XIII centuries. It is a polygonal Almohad construction model finished off by a large tower. The first news of the castle is on October 13, 1249, when King James I, granted the castle…

From the Font Jordana, a rise of cypresses reaches this sanctuary, located at the foot of the Agullent mountain range, and where every first Friday of September hundreds of people go up in a nocturnal pilgrimage. Built in the 18th century, the chapel has an exercise house, a hostel and…

The generalization of the use of steam led to a series of changes in the physiognomy of the industrial landscape in our regions, with the construction of chimneys of considerable height during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The new technologies required the supply of coal not very abundant in…

The Agullent mill dates from the mid-15th century, although it seems to have been built alongside an earlier one. The hydraulic mills in our lands had their time of splendour from the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. In Spain after the Civil War there was a…

Children's playground, walking area and bar-restaurant. The five-spout fountain, which gives its name to the park, is the source of the fresh water that flows from the "Penyetes" and crosses the entire historic centre of the municipality. Passing through Agullent and not visiting this place is like not having really…

Located on the left bank of the river. It was originally a flour mill. In 1758 D. Mauro Aparisi, rector of the parish church of Banyeres, established and built a flour mill for the Church Administration to pay for the construction of the new church, but in 1877 José Mora…

Located on the left bank of the river. It was originally a flour mill. In 1758 D. Mauro Aparisi, rector of the parish church of Banyeres, established and built a flour mill for the Church Administration to pay for the construction of the new church, but in 1877 José Mora…

This museum houses an ethnographic collection structured in three main sections: textiles (with manual looms, machinery and documentation), the countryside and the mountains (an area dedicated to the trades and customs of agriculture, the farmhouses), and the uses and customs of Bocairent. The museum also shows temporary exhibitions and displays…

The Parish Museum of Bocairent is one of the best collections of sacred art in the Valencian Community, with works by Joan de Joanes, Joaquin Sorolla, el Mestre de Borbotó, Ribalta, Segrelles, Mariano Benlliure, Cristòfol Llorenç, Blas Silvestre, among others. It is a real pleasure for art lovers, where you…

It is one of the most emblematic and most visited places in Agres. The history of this convent begins on August 31st, 1484 in the city of Alicante. On this day a fire broke out in the Church of Santa María where, because of the fire, the whole altarpiece of…

El tio Pep is a popular Valencian character who is the protagonist of the song of the same name, perhaps one of the most famous and versioned in the whole of the Valencian Country, but who also appears in many other songs, popular or not. Like the Sierra Mariola this…

The Covetes dels Moros de Bocairent are a group of artificial caves with holes in the shape of windows, located in the middle of a vertical rock wall, some 300 m from the town centre. It has about fifty windows that give access to as many chambers. The windows are…

Tower built at the beginning of the 16th century, in one of the accesses to the town. This tower has undergone many variations in its structure, especially from the mid-nineteenth century, which was integrated as part of a two-story house. It is not known which family it belongs to, but…

Turballos, is a district belonging to the municipality of Muro. It is located at the foot of the southern part of the Benicadell mountain, at an altitude of 455 metres. The land is dry land of a regular quality and its cultivation is the olive trees. At present it has…

Of the three washing places that exist in the town, two are still in very good condition in the old part of Agullent. The upper washhouse can be reached by a walk from the Font Jordana, following the path of the irrigation canal. There an immense roof gives shade and…

To get to this laundry room you have to go through an alley no more than half a meter wide. It is a curious corner that still fulfils its function for the inhabitants of this town. It had an important socializing function since women went there to wash their clothes…

The only urban washing place that has been preserved in Bocairent and recently rehabilitated. Its location in the middle of the medieval quarter gives it a special appeal.

In this space we can find a permanent exhibition of the works of the painter Antonio Ferri that have been loaned to Bocairent. In this museum the visitor will be able to discover all the records that belong to him, from the plots and monochromatic surfaces of his abstract works,…

The Archaeological Museum of the Tower of Font Bona, in Banyeres de Mariola, shows a collection of archaeological remains from the Palaeolithic to the modern age. It is located in a 15th century tower. Its interior is structured in four floors. On the ground floor you can learn more about…

The municipal laundry was the place where the women of Banyeres went to wash the clothes of their relatives. It was the place of work and social gathering. It is believed that the laundry was already working in 1885. Today it is a rectangular building with a gabled roof. Inside…

It is one of the most successful examples of the route of the fountains of Agres for the Valencian tile ornamentation that decorates it.

The district of Benàmer, with its Arabic name, is located at an altitude of 360 metres, 1 km from Muro in the direction of Benimarfull. The patron saint's fiestas are held in the first week of September in honour of the Mare de Déu de Gràcia. From the signpost to…

The façade is arranged in three parameters: two totally smooth sides and the central one, made up of the cover. The latter is very slightly highlighted over the lateral parameters and is organised into two bodies separated by a cornice and finished off by a totally smooth triangular rubbing. At…

Popularly known as “Saint Anthony of the Piglet or down below” (“San Antoni del Porquet o de Baix”), the chapel lies about a kilometre away from the town. You can get there by car after taking a left hand turning 800 metres along the road leading to Ontinyent, after which…

The hermitage of Sant Jaume was built in the 16th century and above the main door we can see a tile altarpiece with the image of the saint. The interior is a single nave in Gothic style with a vaulted exterior of a continuous bench. This chapel is located on…

Formerly an Arab mosque, it dates back to the 13th century and was the first church to be built in the town. On its façade, you can see the belfry with a Gothic arch, built of stone and mortar. It is located in a corner of the street forming a…

Located on the street of the same name. It was built on the old cemetery of the town. In 1984 the corresponding steps were taken to recover the chapel, which was located in the Molí Sol. It was dismantled stone by stone and moved to its current location on San…

This chapel would be the least ancient of all those in the town of Bocairent as it is a late nineteenth and early twentieth century construction and is attached to a stately home. Its surroundings will make us enjoy its impressive natural beauty, with a fountain of crystalline water accompanied…

It is one of the oldest buildings in Banyeres, situated between the 13th and 14th centuries, its style is rural Gothic. It is a free-standing building built with masonry and a gabled roof of Arabian tiles. Its facade, oriented to the west, is pentagonal with the upper vertex truncated by…

The Church of San Juan Bautista located in the old town of Muro del Alcoy. The local festivities begin and end there. The Virgen de los Desamparados is moved during the holidays from her hermitage to the parish church, where she remains for 15 days to be venerated and worshipped…

Sober and discreet in its exterior appearance, the interior instead, the Valencian baroque of churrigueresque style invades the High Altar. The altarpiece of the "Altar of the Souls which represents the final judgment, is attributed to the school of Juanes. The temple, initially Renaissance in the seventeenth and eighteenth century…

The cloistered nuns keep with suspicion the secrets of this clerical building that in times of the Civil War became an asylum for republican refugees. This Dominican convent dates back to the 16th century and was built at the behest of a local couple, who are represented in the painting…

Located on the outskirts of the medieval quarter of Bocairent, it is an example of the many natural springs that spring up all over the municipality. It also has a public washing place and a pond nearby.

On the first floor of the Muro Castle is the Festero Museum and the Moors and Christians Festival Board. The museum houses a permanent exhibition of festive costumes, which is free of charge. In the same building, on the ground floor of the castle, is the tourist office adapted to…

The Moors and Christians festival is an integral part of Bocairent and that is why this museum reviews its key events. It includes a display of clothing, programmes of festivities, music scores, etc, from the nine existing groups and presents a journey through the history of one of the oldest…

It is located in the upper part of the municipal park of Villa Rosario. The fountain is from the beginning of the 20th century and Vicente Pérez, a doctor from Alicante, was concerned with improving access and began to build the walkway that leads to the fountain. It is a…

It is located on the road to Alcoy and is very popular among the population and visitors as many people stop to visit it.

Fontanelles de Muro Park is part of the daily life of the people of Muro. Not only does it constitute a leisure area in the open air, but it also contains several examples of local fruit trees such as ginjols, quinces, prickly pears and seroles, which have been planted in…

A small well, recently restored and visitable, is the testimony of an economic activity already extinct: the snow trade. Topped with a vault, it is listed as one of the 137 caves in the Southern Betic sector. Its activity was strictly local, without intervening in large-scale marketing. According to Agullent's…

This fountain was built at the beginning of the 19th century and the water that falls from it comes from the Cova de la Font spring.

Located on the outskirts of the town. The date of construction is unknown, but some people remember that it was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1961, the roof and the garden were repaired and a dozen cypress trees were planted. This building in pentagonal prism built…

The first thing we find when we approach Muro is the Ermita de San Antonio, its emblematic and clear silhouette welcomes the traveller. It is of small and harmonious proportions. Only a few steps lead to a portico with simple arches that give way to a rectangular area with four…

It is of neo-Gothic style and its current construction dates from the beginning of the 20th century, being the work of the architect Timoteo Briet. It is an exempt building, with the hermit's house attached to its back. The construction is made of masonry and the roof, with two slopes,…

This chapel, located in the heart of the Sierra Mariola, is in a style reminiscent of the Romanesque. It has a square floor plan with buttresses on the outside. The interior is of reduced dimensions. On October 9ht, the festival of Sant Tomàs is celebrated with a mass, a good…

The chapel stands on a hill near a pine forest. In front of the chapel there is a small esplanade surrounded by cypress trees and a stone cross that replaces the old one that was about a hundred metres further east and marked the border with Agres. This chapel has…

The Living Museum of the Oil of Muro is installed in the Town Hall and was inaugurated at the beginning of 2003. Its first presentation to the general public was not only the exhibition of a recently refurbished enclosure that housed pieces that were used to produce oil. On this…

This chapel was built after the reconquest by the troops of James I in 1245, who, following custom, built the chapel above the entrance to the town, so that anyone who entered through this entrance would be protected by the Virgin. The portal is known as Porche la Mare de…

Although the exact date of construction is unknown, there is an inscription indicating that it was renovated in 1802. The chapel is part of the second floor of a house because of the steep slope of the ground. The façade of the chapel is topped by a belfry with a…

Under the protection of the Generic Declaration of the Decree of 22 April 1949, and Law 16/1985 on Spanish Historical Heritage. Located near the recreational area of the Mariola fountain, it can be accessed after a relatively easy climb that allows you to admire magnificent views of the natural park.…

It is located at the foot of the Castle and was built to commemorate the place where the ancient hermitage of the Conjurer was located. This chapel, which is no longer there, was intended for St. George. It was the oldest hermitage in Banyeres, as can be deduced from its…

This museum exhibits the trade of alpargatero which had its greatest expansion at the beginning of the 20th century. The Museum has a documentary that tells us the whole process, with old espadrille craftsmen. The reproduction of an espadrille workshop on the upper floor is very interesting.

The Festero Museum of Banyeres de Mariola is located in the castle's homage tower, one of the many that the Almohads built in the first half of the 13th century. The castle stands at an altitude of 830 metres and was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. The Festive…

This church is built on top of the old Arab castle of Bekiren and was consecrated in 1516. It was originally built in the Gothic style and later adapted to the Baroque tastes of the time. It brings together the main characteristics of Valencian art, from Gothic to the 19th…

Dedicated to the search, conservation and diffusion of vertebrate and human paleontology. At the entrance we can see a mural about human evolution and an audio that welcomes you to this space. Inside you will find recreations of the evolution of man to the present day, dinosaurs to scale and…

The temple, in Romanesque style with Gothic influences, dates from the 18th century. It is located within the town of Alfafara and a visit to it is mandatory for everyone who passes through the municipality.

The museum of the pharmacy is located next to the tourist office. It was inaugurated in 2018 and in it we can see objects related to the history of the pharmacy or how the apothecaries prepared their prescriptions.

The Casa Palacio is a Renaissance building, which uses brick as a priority, the facade features elegant balconies with Valencian ceramics that embellish it. At present, the Plaza Palacio continues to be very important for the town. It has a square shape with the house of the "Alonso" occupying one…

This bridge is located near the Alfafara exit towards Bocairent. It is a masonry bridge formed by a single arch and has a total length of 34 meters and a height to the bed of 10.5 meters. It is not known exactly when it was built.

Located in the Ermita de Muro square, it has twenty-six washing areas.

It is one of the best preserved public washhouses (old laundry) in the area and it’s located in a place of great beauty, Plaza del Azud. In addition, this 19th century washhouse is one of the largest of all those preserved in the province of Alicante. At present it still…

The tradition of religious panels began in the mid-18th century and, since then, it has become a permanent custom in Muro and is still very present today. Witnesses of the intangible and tangible cultural heritage of the town, they are found in both public and private places and are accompanied…

The "Convent-Monestir" of Bocairent dates back to the mid 16th century and is an old underground convent of cloistered nuns, which was excavated out of the rock and occupies an area of 48 m2. Two later convents were built on top of it. Inside, there are different rooms such as…

It is located 5 kilometres from Bocairent. The chapel is located in a privileged place where the landscape of pines and cypresses makes the atmosphere you breathe special. It was built in the 18th century, has a rectangular floor plan and is attached to the hermit's house. It is here…

It is located in the northern part of the Medieval Quarter. It was used as a snow deposit, like many others found in the Sierra de Mariola. Through an underground gallery excavated in the rock, the circular enclosure where the ice was stored is accessed. Currently, there are 6 illustrative…

Located in the main square. Its main façade is of baroque style, construction began in 1734 and was completed in 1752. Its interior is shaped like a Latin cross and a large part of its ashlars are part of the old temple that was at the foot of the castle…

Cela is located at an altitude of 396 metres, 1 km from Muro in the direction of Beniarrés, on the left bank of the River Agres. Currently, the population is 150 registered inhabitants, in summer the district of Setla doubles its inhabitants. Most of them have dedicated themselves to agriculture,…

The first news about the origins of the Parish of St. Michael the Archangel can be found in the 14th century, when it is recorded that the priest of Agres attended the diocesan synods held in Valencia. It is also known that during the year 1615 works were carried out…

Located in the industrial park. Next to the old train station. The interior of the workshop follows the same construction scheme of vaults and lintels supported by mortar pillars, although in some buildings of this complex the use of iron for the roof reinforcements can be observed. The architecture takes…

The town of Agres was an old Muslim farmhouse, and the Islamic fortress was built nearby at the end of the 12th century. In the western part of the town, the fortified watchtower was built. Declared BIC for additional disposition according to the Law 16/1985. An old wall tower which,…

This chapel was built in the 16th century and consists of three buildings: the Hostal, which was a former convent, the chaplain's house and the church in the Gothic style, with the bell tower attached. On its façade, we can find the drawing of a sundial and a stone pantocrator.…

Les Covetes del Colomer are home to the Covetes dels Moros interpretation centre. It is a space for information and dissemination of information about the group of caves-windows at the head of the River Clariano, the area where these structures are most abundant. The space is accessible to everyone and…

The museum is located inside the Villa Rosario Park, in the main building. This museum shows the history and paper tradition of the municipality, the origin of paper, its raw materials, etc. In addition, its temporary exhibitions arouse the interest of its visitors, highlighting the exhibition of costumes from the…

The Municipal Archaeological Museum "Vicent Casanova" can be found in a building next to the Parish Church. It was inaugurated in 1970 and inside there is a good collection of representative objects of a long historical period that goes from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages. Most of the…

The Vinalopó Castle is a Moorish construction located within the Sierra Mariola Natural Park. This fortress was built in the 12th and 13th centuries near the source of the Vinalopó River. The eastern wall of the tower and some sections of the wall can still be seen. It would serve…